Schumi makes test debut for Mercedes

Reuters - Mon, 01 Feb 15:28:00 2010

Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher has returned to the Formula One racetrack with his first test for Mercedes since coming out of retirement.

Mercedes GP Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Germany steers his car during a training session at the Cheste racetrack, near Valencia - 0

"In a way, it's like 1991," the former Ferrari ace said after coming out of retirement at the age of 41, and after a three-year absence, with 40 laps of Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit.

"When I came into Formula One I was shocked in the first lap and I was extremely excited in the second and further laps. And exactly today I feel like a little, young boy that has his toy in his hands and just enjoys himself."

The German, Formula One's most successful driver with 91 wins, ended the opening day of the season's first test with the third fastest time.

On a day of comebacks, Brazilian Felipe Massa returned to set the pace for Ferrari six months after he suffered life-threatening head injuries in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.

Second fastest was Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, the formerMcLaren tester back at the age of 38 for Sauber after three years without a race drive.

All eyes were on Schumacher however as the German guided the silver Mercedes W01 down the pitlane and out into the Spanish sunshine.

German team mate Nico Rosberg had earlier completed 39 laps with a best time of 1:13.543 but Schumacher went quicker after just 18 laps. He ended the day with a time of 1:12.947, according to circuit timings.

The lap times meant little, with refuelling banned this season and cars testing with varying fuel loads and specifications, but Schumacher was fizzing as a scrum of reporters surrounded him and jostled for soundbites.

"I think we have done a very good job. the guys have done a superb job," said the German, the media attention reminiscent of his glory years. "We did about 80 laps...for the first day I think that is a superb job."

Massa, clearly back up to speed in the new Ferrari F10, completed 102 laps without a glitch or problem.

"I'm very happy to be back, I feel very good from a physical point of view. I did 100 laps, but I could have done much more," said the little Brazilian, who added he had been "zero afraid" about getting back behind the wheel.

"I'm now 100 per cent ready to return to racing."

Rosberg, who has joined Mercedes after four years at Williams, was pleased for his new team mate.

"To have him (Schumacher) here is fantastic," he said. "It has given me a little bit extra motivation I must say, from my point of view. Just that little touch extra."

Britain's Gary Paffett gave the sleek-looking new McLaren its test debut, with the fifth fastest time, before world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton get their hands on it later in the week.

Poland's Robert Kubica made his Renault debut, after moving from BMW-Sauber while Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi gave the new Toro Rosso a first run.

None of the four completely new teams are attending the Valencia test, with Virgin Racing due to unveil their new car online on Wednesday and Lotus firing up their car's engine for the first time next Friday before a launch on February 12.

Red Bull, last year's overall runners-up, are also missing the opening test to give themselves more time to push development as are Force India.

Reuters

Comment 53 - 72 of 72

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. Schumacher & Massa are both @#$%

    From NORMAN, on Wed 3 Feb 14:51

  2. Much ado about nothing. Will Shakespeare.

    From MACNASSY, on Wed 3 Feb 12:46

  3. HEADS UP! You new kids are about to get an education.

    From pHilo, on Wed 3 Feb 9:19

  4. After posts 94 & 96, I rest my case!

    From francis sterling, on Wed 3 Feb 7:26

  5. The parody of the idiotroute makes more sense than the­ idiotroute itself.
    Well done Count Louis, I look­ forward to reading your next instalment of "colin­ torque"

    From francis sterling, on Wed 3 Feb 6:16

  6. Hahaha
    Nobody understands your incoherent mumblings.­
    Go and a have a couple of pints of Old Badgers Breath­ Special and don't forget to put some in the ash­ tray for Zak.
    :-)

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Wed 3 Feb 5:03

  7. Count it sounds like Wiffy has been bunging some of­ that snow up his nose. rlmfao

    Stop it Wiffy, it­ won't improve your personal hygiene, they will­ still turn their noses up when you go in the village­ boozer. But it will make you a loony, oh hang on I­ think I am too late with the warning.

    From William S (not the nutter), on Wed 3 Feb 4:58

  8. sumi is a fool to himself

    From Nick C, on Wed 3 Feb 4:49

  9. The (SCARLET PIMPERNEL) is everywhere. Somboby­ don't no wonderfull things of the (YELLOW) dream­ machine. Just look at my future posts (FACT). Some­ IDIOTS have lost their acounts and some will FLY.­ but,,, don't put (All) your swallows in the same­ bascket.,,, just off to get a new tatoo on my DUCKATI­ lorry what i pulled the BAKED BEEN cans out of the SNOW­ with. ROLMAO. Must go... me mate RUBENS on the line.­ Got some INFO shhh ...
    .
    .
    Next lesson in "Colin­ Torque" same time next week.

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Wed 3 Feb 2:57

  10. ferraribeng the last time I looked the UK was a country­ where I am guaranteed freedom of speech, so I can say­ basically what I want. As long as I don't incite­ racial hatred I am OK and as I am violently anti-racist­ that ain't gonna happen.

    This whole thing about me­ calling that idiot Massa an idiot is so, so, so­ interesting and was basically me stirring muddy waters­ and did not the sh1te rise. You and others took great­ exception to my callinmg that idiot Massa an idiot but­ when I see the abuse hurled at Button and Hamilton on­ these boards I don't see you or the others, who­ criticised me jumping to there defence.

    This is a very­ hypocritical action on your and the others part but I­ guess like them you will not answer the question I­ posed. I did pose the question yesterday but nobody­ could be bothered to answer.

    From offmymash, on Wed 3 Feb 2:42

  11. Richard R: a rather unfortunate parallel drawn there. I­ don't think Mick Dastardly has been "playing­ away from home", and certainly no reports of­ Corinna chasing him down the track waving a wheel­ wrench!

    From the real ade, on Wed 3 Feb 1:30

  12. FB of course by the end of the week we will know more,­ but my point was first day, some teams trying out­ drivers others trying out components, not looking to­ set times.

    DEar Count I think Elf and Safety thought­ iot may be too cruel on the drivers, after all is a­ potty smooth? The Turquoise is actually something the­ site oracle did not mention, rather he omitted all­ reference to it in his declaration of colouring scheme,­ and he was so late with his informtion that he did not­ know about those bringing the colour. Remarkable given­ the hotline the oracle has.

    I actually think the­ Turquoise stripe is rather elegant myself and am so­ pleased it is on the silver car, not varying shades of­ grey at all.

    From Ellie, on Wed 3 Feb 1:00

  13. I hope Massa and Alonso drill MS a new hole!

    From Dejan, on Wed 3 Feb 0:29

  14. Schumacher is the TIGER WOODS of F1!!!....as Tina­ Turner would say: Simply The Best!

    From ask me!, on Wed 3 Feb 0:15

  15. Count, please excuse me but what is a merchant banker? ­ Time will tell whether Mr. Schumacher is the Federer­ of F1. It might be more accurate to call Federer the­ Schumacher of tennis as Schumacher dominated F1 in the­ 90's and then Federer has dominated tennis in the­ 2000's.

    From ask me!, on Tue 2 Feb 22:39

  16. Russell O, what I meant was that Schumi is the Federer­ based on achievements not on form. It is just great to­ see him in the circuit history cause he is the best in­ F1 history if you ask me.

    From Half A Brain, on Tue 2 Feb 19:49

  17. Too bad the larger fuel tank has lead to such ugly­ cars. I hope the Williams is fast, it's the best­ looking of the lot. I would hate to see everyone have­ to start copying Sauber or Renault to stay competitive.­ I don't think the cars have been this ugly since­ the sucker cars from the active ground effects days.

    From Alex, on Tue 2 Feb 19:05

  18. offmymash,
    I will be more comfortable if you stop­ calling Massa with name like idiot. Nobody likes to be­ called name and the same applies that Massa's fans­ dislike name being called on Massa.

    If it is your­ opinion that he is an idiot, I respectfully ask that­ you keep it to yourself. Maybe if you rephrase it like­ driving off with the host is an idiotic act or confines­ the term idiot to some act will be better.

    What do you­ try to achieve by call names? Those who disagree with­ you will continue to disagree. Those who agree with you­ will continue to do so. It invite too much unneccessary­ arguement and I'm tired of all these. I would­ prefer reading some meaningful comment and opinion­ which I know you are capable of.

    From huat chye liao, on Tue 2 Feb 18:38
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    #42: Ellie,
    Yes, you are right. There is nothing to be­ excited about the time of the first session. At the­ very least, these are the bench mark time that every­ teams will be looking at. Any car with 1 second off the­ pace is a clear indication they are going to have a­ tough season ahead. They can make up 1 second by­ Bahrain, so do the team which set the initial best­ time.

    Haven't we forgotten that last year's­ Brawns set a 1 second faster lap time against their­ competitors out of the box. They went on the dorminate­ the 1st half of the season and then won the­ championship.

    Yes, there is nothing to be exicted­ about the lap time, but bear in time that it is bench­ mark time for all the teams in the rest of the test­ sessions until a new bench mark is set.

    From huat chye liao, on Tue 2 Feb 18:07
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    #54: makosifan,
    Yeah, you are right. Nobody can rule­ Schumi out until the chance is over. At least he is­ setting competitive time now. As it said, the time­ don't mean much relative to competitor before we­ don't what fuel load the others are in. At least we­ know who will be competitive and who will not.

    We­ should be able to see the full potential of Rosberg­ since he is given a competitive car for the first time.

    From huat chye liao, on Tue 2 Feb 17:46
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account